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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748901">Pictogram for Beginners</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalestAzure/pseuds/PalestAzure'>PalestAzure</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Open Heart (Visual Novels)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, F/M, Humor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 16:00:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>887</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23748901</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PalestAzure/pseuds/PalestAzure</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ethan takes a break at work by scrolling through Pictogram.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pictogram for Beginners</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p>
  <span>Ethan took his glasses off and rubbed his brow. He had finished reading through the new patient file and was prepared for his team’s meeting in the afternoon. He thought it would be an opportune time to take a break. He took out a glass tupperware from his mini fridge and placed it in his microwave. His office was well equipped for having lunches there to refrain from the unnecessary possibility of socializing with colleagues in the cafeteria or break room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he waited for his leftovers to warm, he scrolled through his phone, stopping on the Pictogram icon. He had downloaded it but never used it, not since Zyra showed him how to set up his account. She had recommended him to add it to his phone. He rebuffed the suggestion, but decided to do it anyway that very night before he retired. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He touched the icon and his screen filled with his feed. But they were only of Zyra, the only person he followed. The first picture was of her at the softball game with Greene and Lahela in their uniforms. He read the comment: </span>
  <b>
    <em>We’re gonna crush it today! #1!</em>
  </b>
  <span> He reread it, remembering that awful day (with his bruised cheek and Carrick), but smiled at the memory that occurred after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to get a glimpse into her mysterious life. </span>
</p><p><em><span>It couldn’t be that mysterious if she posts it to the world.</span></em> <em><span>Then again, she’s always been an open book, and sometimes I’ve been too afraid to turn a page.</span></em></p><p>
  <span>He stopped on another picture. It was a picture of a bowl of instant ramen: </span>
  <b>
    <em>My life as a medical intern officially begins! Give me some of your best instant ramen recipes on a budget! </em>
  </b>
  <span>He read the comments. Some suggested adding a hard boiled egg. Some chili flakes or hot sauce. Others stated peanut butter or cheese. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I agree with the chili flakes.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw more events from the last year: her first day at Edenbrook, some concert with Lahela, the baseball game, dinner with her fellow interns (with pictures of the food), the medical conference in Miami, and other events. He even saw pictures when she was in medical school. Pictures with her family. Everything he wanted to know about her was all there. A view into her world. He felt uncomfortable seeing these. He would prefer learning more about her through their conversations and not through some voyeuristic display of her life online. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But what is the point of taking pictures of food? She has so many. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Even though he was dismissive of the excessive food porn, he admired many of the dishes and wondered which ones he could try to make himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Mental note. Butter-basted rib eye steak.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He then stopped fully on a picture with a caption: </span>
  <b>
    <em>The absolute best view of the city.</em>
  </b>
  <span> It was a picture of the nighttime view from his apartment. There were no details to identify him, but it may have identified him in some other way. Perhaps Zyra was also conveying her feelings for him. Feelings they still needed to talk about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scrolled some more. Then a radiant picture of Zyra at the beach appeared. She was in a two-piece bikini with that distinct smile that could convince him to do practically anything. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Such as play in that damn softball game.</span>
  </em>
  <span> He wondered if she often went to the beach. He could take her some time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As his mind filled with thoughts of her, without realizing it, he noticed a heart pop up and disappear. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell was that? </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Not knowing what he just saw, he just shrugged it off and continued. He then saw the next post was a video from the same day at the beach. He hit the play button.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoo! Go Zyra!” That sounded like Trinh making commentary as the video showed Zyra playing beach volleyball against Lahela. Then she spiked it. Hard. The video began to shake as Trinh screamed in excitement. “That was amazing!” Zyra did a victory dance, which made Ethan chuckle out loud. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You continue to surprise me.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The microwave buzzed, but he replayed the video instead. Soon he heard the door to the office open and he quickly turned off his screen, placing the phone on his desk. He looked up and saw Zyra, who took a seat across from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cleared his throat. “Zyra, you’re early.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I just had a quick question about a patient. But I could take a conversational tangent.”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>She had an amused smile. His brows furrowed in confusion at her expression. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Ethan asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you want to see me in a bathing suit </span>
  <em>
    <span>in person</span>
  </em>
  <span>, all you have to do is ask.” Her smile was sly, but reveling in a tempting sensuality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ethan felt his mouth become dry. “Zyra, that is highly inappropriate for--”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“For what?” She slid her phone toward him, showing him a list of her updates. “Let me teach you a few things about Pictogram.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The most recent one was from him: </span>
  <b>
    <em>Ethan Ramsey liked your picture. 5 min ago.</em>
  </b>
  <span> The image was the one of her at the beach in her bikini. He immediately felt his cheeks burn like an intense fire smoldering underneath his skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now he had another reason to hate social media. It had ratted him out. </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
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